Beautiful
by rololover1
Summary: Logan thinks about his feelings for Storm on a special day.


She was absolutely breathtaking to behold, he thought watching her move down the aisle, his chest tight with longing. Wrapped in a diaphanous gown of white and lavender she was truly a Goddess amongst mortals, blessed with a crown of silken snow colored hair and creamy milk chocolate skin. Her brilliant blue eyes were dancing with happiness, her full rose colored lips turned up in a soft smile, her entire face full of love and tenderness, and seeing it his heart kicked.

He stood transfixed, watching her walk towards the alter, her hands were slightly shaking, he could tell by the faint flutter of petals. She swallowed hard and her eyes misted as she got closer, but her steps never faltered.

As Logan stared at her, entranced by her presence, he recalled everything that had brought them to this point.

Ororo Munroe had been his team mate and friend for many years, loyal and true. They had grown close over the years, closer to each other than they were to most anyone else. She had listened when he talked, soothed him while he hurt and faced him down when he was pigheaded. She had been his only solace in the wake of Mariko's death and his companion during many escapes to his cabin in Canada. As they bonded he saw her as less of a stoic leader, less of a goddess and more as a woman, a very desirable woman. To him she represented beauty and grace, life and loyalty. His once hardened heart was slowly being turned to putty in the loving hands of his own personal deity.

It had been a little over three years ago when had almost died in a battle with Magneto. Having come so close to losing him made Ororo realize how very much she cared for him. She had visited him every day in the med-lab, diligently and persistently helping his spirit heal along with his body. However, his brush with death had not affected Logan the same way. Instead of wanting to open up, he had closed himself off, becoming cold and indifferent to his team, his family and to her. The more she tried to get in, the more he had pushed her away until one day he had decided to leave, knowing his heart was about to crumble beneath her gentle onslaught. It had been Ororo to make the confession, however, he remembered, surprising him. She had come to him, open and vulnerable.

"I love you." She had said that night, watching him pack his bags, her heart in her deep blue eyes. She had clutched his arm as he strode past and he had given her his most withering stare. "Logan, I love you," she had whispered again, showing a vulnerability he knew was costing her a sufficient amount of pride. And a proud woman she was.

"Don't matter," he had tossed over his shoulder. "I don't love you."

Fool. He had left that very night, only to return six months later realizing what a liar he had been. He had wanted to die being away from her. He would wake in the night, reaching for a body that was no longer there. He had tried getting her out of his system, sleeping with a number of different women, but not one could compare to her memory, and he hadn't even slept with 'Ro. They would more often than not, cuddle and talk, falling asleep in each others arms. He ultimately gave up the fight with his heart, knowing it belonged to her and returned to New York.

Their reunion had been rough at first, silences and avoidance from her and angry resentment from him. Damn her for making him love again. Damn her.

Eventually the icy barricade between them was chipped away, mostly due to the close confines of the Institute, but also in large part to Ororo's inability to hold a grudge, at least where the people she cared about were concerned.

But that was then and this was now, he mused. The minister was speaking, but the words were distant humming in his mind, his entire being focused on the woman smiling with open affection. Her lower lip trembled and a crystalline tear slid down her satiny cheek and he ached to wipe it away, but he knew it wasn't a diamond born of sadness, but of joy and instead he watched it fall from her chin to her hand.

There was a long pause and his attention wavered, had he missed something? Then the minister continued, gesturing with his hands, motioning for the rings. Although most everything else was a dull rumble in his mind and his own vision was beginning to blur, the sight of the circle of gold sliding along her slender finger was crystal clear and it made Logan's heart beat triple. Married. His Ororo.

Then the words that pronounced the deed done and a rousing round of applause. "You may kiss the bride."

Logan turned away, unable to bear witness to another man touching her. Her husband. His breath huffed and he forced the mournful howl building in his chest down. Jubilee grabbed his arm, her deep brown eyes smiling. "Wasn't that a beautiful ceremony!" she cried, releasing him to return to clapping. "Who would have thought those two would get married? I mean, they were close, but wow! They look great together. I'm so glad I came home for this! Storm looks beautiful doesn't she, Wolvie? Wolvie?"

Logan couldn't speak, his watery gaze lifted to see Ororo swung up into the arms of her husband, who was still kissing her unabashedly. Ororo laughed, a sound of pure joy making the howl press against his larynx. For a moment, just a moment her blue eyes opened and caught his tortured steel. He stared at her raw and wounded and he knew it hurt her to see him unhappy, so he forced a smile, more of a baring of teeth, but for her he'd suffer it. Ororo smiled softly in return, but her gaze went immediately back to her husband, whose devil red on black eyes sparkled in the sun as he returned her look of adoration.

"Yeah, kid, she's beautiful." He finally answered, but Jubilee had already left his side to go offer her congratulations to the happy couple.

Later that night, over the soft moans and gentle sighs from the attic loft a long mournful howl could be heard.


End file.
